Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by TWB (A) on May 03, 2021 at 20:45:09

I watched 4 films 3 current Oscar nominated and an oldie but goodie that I had never seen before...

1. The Sound Of Metal- Wonderful (sometimes slow) intimate story of a musician that loses his hearing and his attempt to regain it. Riz Ahmed gives a nicely nuanced performance as the drummer in question, and his quest to regain his hearing. I'll be interested to see his performance as Hamlet which he is set to begin filming shortly.....

2. Hillbilly Elegy- Director Ron Howard's film adaptation of J. D. Vance's autobiographical novel which shows his upbringing with a drug addicted Mother and a Grandmother who tried to make certain that Vance escaped his less than desirable circumstances. Howard again shows his adeptness at filming these human dramas, and Glenn Close yet again gives an outstanding performance as the Grandmother....When in the world is this woman going to win an Oscar!?!?!?!

3. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom- An interesting period piece adaptation of August Wilson's play about the black blues experience of the Roaring 20's, the music industry and the black "experience" for blacks at that time. Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman literally chewed up the screen with their individual performances....The writing for me was uneven and the direction was disjointed. Boseman's death in 2020 from cancer is a tragedy, and I will miss seeing his growth and what would certainly have been a legendary career...

4. Witness For The Prosecution- Billy Wilder's courtroom drama starring Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Elsa Lancaster... I'm not sure how I missed this one through the years, but Laughton and Lancaster's verbal sparring (they were married in real life) in the film is hilarious! With the ever beautiful Dietrich on hand to lend an air of elegance and sophistication to the proceedings which reveals a surprise twist ending. Wilder as usual is an accomplished film-maker, whose breadth and scope of work has IMO yet to be matched by modern day directors... Billy was one in a million!